The answer is this: they are making sense. You just aren’t seeing the sense they are making yet, because you can’t read their mind. So naturally you don’t see how things fit together for them.

But some people are crazy, right? Some people are just plain senseless, it is said. After all, why would anybody stay for years in a violent, abusive relationship? Why would anybody volunteer to be a suicide bomber? What kind of sense could mass murderers like Adolf Hitler ever have?

These questions are often dismissed with something to the effect of “people like that are just sick.” And hopefully we’ll never find ourselves dealing with that level of destructive energy. However, even if on a smaller scale, we will always have “sickness” around us. People will act in ways that make you think, “but WHY?”

Can you talk to this person? ASK them QUESTIONS. And don’t stop asking till either (1) you have some understanding, or (2) you begin to realize that it’s no use/not important for you to figure everything out about a person or situation. After all, there are some things we won’t ever completely understand. And sometimes it is not in your interest to. But do ask away–this is your time to learn.

And always trust that there is an answer. Remember that. Even if you never ever find it–it exists.

And what if you can’t communicate with this person? Still, ask questions. Ask yourself questions–about what would cause a person like this to act in a certain way. Talk about it with other people you can trust–ask them questions. See how far you can open your mind, how much room you can make in your mind for sense in the nonsensical. Asking questions really helps to do that.

Making sense of nonsense is an awesome skill to have. This is really what being open-minded means. Even when you can’t immediately make sense of something, just knowing and remembering that there is a reason keeps you from closing off and missing out.

Have you ever felt so relieved that somebody gets what you are saying when you’re afraid that what you have to say will meet with resistance? You can provide that feeling to others through listening to them and seeing their sense in things. This is a great builder of trust and positive energy, and a great way to make it very easy for people to like you.